Winning team owes victory to cold weather and fog

Published: Friday, November 1, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 11:28 p.m.

Chuck Hughes of Linwood and Dwayne Hughes of Lexington won Saturday's Yadkin Team Tournaments Fish-off at High Rock Lake with a five-fish catch totaling 22.05 pounds that paid $1,070.

The two fishermen owed their victory partly to the bitterly cold temperatures that prevailed when the teams idled off in the fog at 7:15 a.m. Instead of motoring to their intended destination, the two anglers aborted their trip because of the cold and fog and stopped at a cove a short distance from their starting place at Tamarac Marina.

They boated their limit of fish in short time by tossing spinnerbaits at brush and laydowns. Their catch was anchored with a 5.08-pound bass.

Most fishermen experienced rod guides coated with ice and fishing reels with scratchy-sounding inner parts because of the frigid weather.

Despite the difficult conditions, some teams caught fish.

Jamie Benton of Denton and Scott Eggleton of Salisbury stunned onlookers at the marina when they plopped an 8.06-pound trophy bass on the scales along with four other fish but fell short of the winners with 19.83 pounds. They won $500 for second place and $130 for the big fish of the day.

Their fish also were caught with spinnerbaits, which Benton said was in contrast to his practice round the day before.

"I couldn't get the fish to touch spinnerbait on Friday," said Benton. "I didn't get many bites at all."

The Salisbury team of Jack Vanderford and Lucas Hedrick, substituting for his dad Phillip Hedrick, finished third with 14.44 pounds and shared $270. Vanderford and the elder Hedrick won the points championship for the season that paid $500.

Most of the top teams caught their fish with spinnerbaits or small crankbaits in shallow water.

Benton and Eggleton won the Oct. 12 Yadkin Team Tournaments contest at High Rock Lake with 17.15 pounds and collected $325. They also took the big-fish award of $65 with a 6.16-pound bass.

Orlando Giles and Joey Musgrave, both of Lexington, placed second with 16.18 pounds and earned $200.

Salisbury's Brad Peyton, the new director of The Fishers of Men Piedmont Division following the retirement of Mike Sides, has set the 2014 schedule for the trail.

FOM Team Series events will take place Feb. 22 at Belews Creek out of Carolina Marina, March 15 at Lake Wylie out of South Point, April 5 at Lake Norman out of McCrary Creek, May 24 at High Rock Lake out of Tamarac Marina, and June 21 at Badin Lake out of Circle Drive.

Legacy Series dates are March 1 at Lake Norman, May 17 at Lake Wylie, and June 7 at High Rock Lake.

The FOM District 3 Championship for qualifying teams takes place Nov. 15-16 at Lake Wylie out of Ebenezer Park, Rock Hill, S.C. Practice days are Nov. 12-14. The lake is off limits for competitors Nov. 5-11.

The Carolina Anglers Team Trail Yadkin Division visits High Rock Lake Saturday for a qualifying tournament out of Tamarac Marina.

For details, contact Marty Williams at 336-870-1280.

Bobby and David Matthews of Durham won the Oct. 19 Piedmont Bass Classics End-of-Year Bass Trail event at Falls Lake. The two fishermen received $700 for a five-fish catch of 22.81 pounds. They anchored their haul with a 7.99-pound bass, the big fish of the day.

Crappie fishermen now have their own version of the popular Alabama rig originally intended to catch bass. The downsized bait, named the Reality Shad Buffet Rig by the TTI-Blakemore Group, was showcased on Breakout Day at the SEOPA conference in La. On Breakout Day, manufacturers set up booths to display the latest in fishing equipment and electronics.

The Reality Shad Buffet Rig features a tandem spread wire holding a 1/16-ounce crappie jig on top and a 1/8-ounce crappie jig on the bottom. The rig can be cast or trolled and sells for $6.25.

<p>Chuck Hughes of Linwood and Dwayne Hughes of Lexington won Saturday's Yadkin Team Tournaments Fish-off at High Rock Lake with a five-fish catch totaling 22.05 pounds that paid $1,070.</p><p>The two fishermen owed their victory partly to the bitterly cold temperatures that prevailed when the teams idled off in the fog at 7:15 a.m. Instead of motoring to their intended destination, the two anglers aborted their trip because of the cold and fog and stopped at a cove a short distance from their starting place at Tamarac Marina. </p><p>They boated their limit of fish in short time by tossing spinnerbaits at brush and laydowns. Their catch was anchored with a 5.08-pound bass.</p><p>Most fishermen experienced rod guides coated with ice and fishing reels with scratchy-sounding inner parts because of the frigid weather.</p><p>Despite the difficult conditions, some teams caught fish.</p><p>Jamie Benton of Denton and Scott Eggleton of Salisbury stunned onlookers at the marina when they plopped an 8.06-pound trophy bass on the scales along with four other fish but fell short of the winners with 19.83 pounds. They won $500 for second place and $130 for the big fish of the day. </p><p>Their fish also were caught with spinnerbaits, which Benton said was in contrast to his practice round the day before.</p><p>"I couldn't get the fish to touch spinnerbait on Friday," said Benton. "I didn't get many bites at all."</p><p>The Salisbury team of Jack Vanderford and Lucas Hedrick, substituting for his dad Phillip Hedrick, finished third with 14.44 pounds and shared $270. Vanderford and the elder Hedrick won the points championship for the season that paid $500.</p><p>Most of the top teams caught their fish with spinnerbaits or small crankbaits in shallow water.</p><p><B>Benton and Eggleton won the Oct. 12 Yadkin Team Tournaments contest at High Rock Lake</B> with 17.15 pounds and collected $325. They also took the big-fish award of $65 with a 6.16-pound bass.</p><p>Orlando Giles and Joey Musgrave, both of Lexington, placed second with 16.18 pounds and earned $200.</p><p>Bobby Lovings of Salisbury and Dwight Morgan of Gold Hill finished third. They had 14.94 pounds, winning $85.</p><p><B>Salisbury's Brad Peyton, the new director of The Fishers of Men Piedmont Division</B> following the retirement of Mike Sides, has set the 2014 schedule for the trail.</p><p>FOM Team Series events will take place Feb. 22 at Belews Creek out of Carolina Marina, March 15 at Lake Wylie out of South Point, April 5 at Lake Norman out of McCrary Creek, May 24 at High Rock Lake out of Tamarac Marina, and June 21 at Badin Lake out of Circle Drive.</p><p>Legacy Series dates are March 1 at Lake Norman, May 17 at Lake Wylie, and June 7 at High Rock Lake.</p><p>The FOM District 3 Championship for qualifying teams takes place Nov. 15-16 at Lake Wylie out of Ebenezer Park, Rock Hill, S.C. Practice days are Nov. 12-14. The lake is off limits for competitors Nov. 5-11.</p><p><B>The Carolina Anglers Team Trail Yadkin Division visits High Rock Lake</B> Saturday for a qualifying tournament out of Tamarac Marina.</p><p>For details, contact Marty Williams at 336-870-1280.</p><p><B>Bobby and David Matthews of Durham</B> won the Oct. 19 Piedmont Bass Classics End-of-Year Bass Trail event at Falls Lake. The two fishermen received $700 for a five-fish catch of 22.81 pounds. They anchored their haul with a 7.99-pound bass, the big fish of the day.</p><p><B>Crappie fishermen now have their own version of the popular Alabama rig</B> originally intended to catch bass. The downsized bait, named the Reality Shad Buffet Rig by the TTI-Blakemore Group, was showcased on Breakout Day at the SEOPA conference in La. On Breakout Day, manufacturers set up booths to display the latest in fishing equipment and electronics.</p><p>The Reality Shad Buffet Rig features a tandem spread wire holding a 1/16-ounce crappie jig on top and a 1/8-ounce crappie jig on the bottom. The rig can be cast or trolled and sells for $6.25.</p><p>Tony Garitta is a fishing columnist for The Dispatch.</p>